Create a synchronized copy of shapes in an organization chart

You can create synchronized copies of sections of large organization charts (org charts) on different pages to help you organize information. You can also set up an org chart so that multiple appearances of a specific person are updated together. When you change the information for that person, you do it only once.

When you create a synchronized copy, the selected shape and its subordinates are copied onto the new page with all of their shape data, formatting, shape types, and pictures. The new copy is synchronized with the original, which means that when you make the following types of changes, they are automatically applied to all synchronized shapes:

Changing the shape data

Adding, replacing, or deleting pictures

If shapes include pictures, the pictures are included in the synchronized copies.

Other changes made to synchronized copies apply only to the specific shape on the specific page. These include:

Changing shape (position) type or formatting

Showing or hiding subordinates

Showing or hiding pictures

Adding or deleting shapes

For example, if you delete a position from a synchronized copy, only that shape on that page is deleted. Synchronized copies on other pages are unchanged. If you want to update the other copies, you must do it manually.

Create and link a synchronized copy of shapes

Select the top-level shape of the department or group that you want to copy to a new page, and then, on the Org Chart tab, in the Synchronize group, click Create Synchronized Copy.

Note: Pictures are included in the synchronized copy of any shapes that have pictures. You might want to delete the pictures before you create the synchronized copy of the shapes, because each instance of the picture greatly increases the size of the drawing file. Also, if you don't see a picture for a shape, it might be hidden. Right-click the shape, and then click Show Picture on the shortcut menu.

Tip: You can also right-click the shape and then click Create Synchronized Copy on the shortcut menu.

In the dialog box, choose whether to place the copy on a new or existing page, and whether to hide the subordinate shapes on the original page, and then click OK.

Note: You can't place the synchronized copy on the same page as the original shape or on the same page as another synchronized copy of the same shape.

To display the original page, click the corresponding page tab at the lower-left corner of the window.

To show hidden subordinates, right-click the manager shape, and then click Show Subordinates on the shortcut menu.

To link the synchronized shapes, select the shape on one page, and then, on the Insert tab, click Hyperlink. Next to the Sub-address box, click Browse, and then choose the page that contains the copy. Click OK, and then click OK again.

When you rest the pointer on the shape, the pointer changes to indicate that the shape has a hyperlink. To go to the page that contains the synchronized copy, press the CTRL key and then click the shape. If the shape has more than one hyperlink, right-click the shape, and then, on the shortcut menu, click the page name that you assigned to the hyperlink.

Tip: If you subsequently add shapes to a synchronized copy on one page, you can later update any other synchronized copy by right-clicking it, and then clicking Expand Subordinates on the shortcut menu.